The simplest living organisms on Earth, viruses are endlessly studied and yet remain a great mystery. They are the cause of many human and animal illnesses, from the numerous and common cold and flu viruses that plague us for a few days or weeks, to more insidious but treatable viral infections, such as HPV, to the most feared killer viruses, such as HIV and Ebola. In this book, readers explore the mechanics of how infections occur and what kinds of diseases arise from what types of viruse...

The earliest humans understood matter on a very basic, practical level. Through trial and error they determined which rocks could make good spearheads and good pounding or grinding stones. The Bronze Age began about 2000 BCE when rocks containing copper and tin were heated together. The combination of the two metals yielded the alloy bronze. Metals played a significant role in the growth of chemical knowledge. Important questions were posed—what exactly was happening to individual material...

A “beautifully written” (Washington Post) dark fable from a doll’s point of view by the New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Daughter and the Neapolitan NovelsReaders of Elena Ferrante’s The Lost Daughter may recall the little doll—lost or stolen—around which that novel revolves. Here, Ferrante retells the tale from the doll’s perspective. Celina is having a terrible night, one full of jealousy for the new kitten, Minù; feelings of abandonment and sadness; misadventures at...